2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season (kdenny)
Storms Hurricane Ana In late-May, a front draped across the southeastern United States split off a trough split in the western Caribbean. A passing tropical wave collided with the trough split, in a form of complex genesis, to create a new area of low pressure that slowly drifted westward on June 1st. Heavy wind shear from the trough over the eastern United States prohibited significant development at first, robbing the storm of needed instability, but soon retreated northwards as a warm front as a weak area of high pressure built in over the southeastern United States. Late on June 2, a NOAA P-3 Hurricane Hunter visited the area of disturbed weather and determined it had gained sufficient organization to be considered a tropical depression, the first of the season. Throughout the day on the 3rd, the depression slowly organized and became Tropical Storm Ana, the first named storm of the season. Ana gradually gained organization as a trough began to influence Ana to the north. By June 5, Ana had reached moderate tropical storm intensity and was beginning to move to the northeast. Hurricane watches and warnings were issued for the west coast of Florida on the 6th as Ana approached hurricane status. Ana made landfall as a minimal Category 1 hurricane early on June 7 and quickly weakened as it moved inland before dissipating on the June 8. Hurricane Ana brought $128 million (2015 USD) dollars in property damage to the sunshine state, mostly from flooding as a result of heavy rain over the Tampa area. Numerous tornadoes were also reported with Ana, with an EF-3 tornado forming from a squall line in central Polk county. Hurricane Bill In early-June, a tropical wave emerged off the coast of Africa and was unusually well organized for the time of year. However, the wave weakened as it approached high levels of dry air and further notice was not taken. The wave was influenced westwards and entered the Caribbean the second week of June. High trade winds prevented any development, however by then numerous models were predicting the development of a tropical depression in the western Caribbean, and the National Hurricane Center declared it an area of interest and began to run further models into it. On June 16, a Hurricane Hunter flew into the invest area and found a tropical depression had formed north of the Yucatan. The depression slowly organized throughout the day and became Tropical Storm Bill on June 17. Bill was forced westwards under the influence of a ridge to the north that began to build in. Bill gradually intensified and was declared to be a hurricane early on June 19. A hurricane watch was issued for the northern cost of Mexico as Bill began to accelerate towards the coast. Rapid intensification occurred as the storm began to become better established, and was estimated to have reached Category 3 intensity early in the morning on the June 20. Bill made landfall as a high-end Category 3 hurricane around noon that day and slowly weakened as it moved inland. Bill dissipated on the June 21, leaving behind roughly $3 billion dollars in property damage and 8 fatalities, all from landslides, in Mexico. Tropical Storm Claudette A tropical wave originating from Africa moved to the WNW in mid-June, the same time the precursor to Hurricane Bill began to move into the Caribbean. The tropical wave remained relatively disorganized, and no development was expected. As the wave moved north of the Caribbean islands, it was expected the high upper level winds would shear apart the wave. As the wave approach the southern coast of Florida it became increasingly better organized. Data from a nearby buoy on June 28 indicated the wave had a closed low-level circulation and was upgraded to Tropical Depression Three in a special advisory. A hurricane hunter early in the morning on the June 29 indicated the depression had become a tropical storm and was given the name Claudette. Claudette underwent a period of gradual intensification throughout the night, and was approaching hurricane status as it made landfall late on the 29th. The storm slowed down, causing heavy flooding across Louisiana, and dissipated on the 30th. Hurricane Danny-Andres A tropical wave associated with an area of low pressure developed to the east of the Winward Islands. Numerous tropical cyclone models predicted development, and the genesis of Tropical Depression Four was well anticipated on July 4. The depression quickly strengthened into Tropical Storm Danny later that day, and began a period of rapid intensification. Tropical Storm Danny was upgraded to Hurricane Danny 06z on July 5 as the storm moved into the central Caribbean at over 20mph based on data from the hurricane hunters. At 18z, the storm was upgraded to a Category 2 hurricane. The hurricane was trapped under a strong ridge associated with the Bermuda High and was caught in an area of higher trade winds, causing the hurricane to speed up towards central America. At 00z July 6, the storm was upgraded to a major hurricane, the second of the season and was forecasted to strengthen further. For the next six hours, intensification was abated as the hurricane underwent an eyewall replacement cycle (EWRC). This cycle was quickly finished, and Danny continued to explosively intensify. At 15z, the storm was upgraded to a Category 4 hurricane as it raced towards Nicaragua. At 18z, the storm was upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane. Danny made landfall with maximum sustained winds of 165mph. The storm weakened, but did not dissipate and crossed over to the eastern Pacific early on July 7, where it regained hurricane status and was given the name Andres. Danny caused $45 million (2015 USD) dollars in damages and killed 58 people. Tropical Storm Erika As Danny rapidly intensified, a tropical wave to its north was partially absorbed into the cyclone. After Danny made landfall, the associated energy with this tropical wave managed to separate itself and moved to the west-northwest towards the Bay of Campeche. Initially, no development was expected as the low moved towards the Bay, but as the low emerged rapid organization started to take place. The area of low pressure was upgraded to Tropical Depression Five on 15z July 9. Throughout the day, the depression gained little organization and was not expected to reach tropical storm status. Data from a buoy on 12z July 10 indicated the storm had rapidly intensified into Tropical Storm Erika with maximum sustained winds of 60mph. The storm then made landfall and dissipated inland later that day. Due to Erika's small sizer, limited damage was reported and no deaths were associated with the storm. Tropical Storm Fred Late on July 8, a non-tropical area of low pressure was expected to emerge in the coming days. The low emerged on July 11 and was quickly given notice by the National Hurricane Center. The area of low pressure slowly began to mature, and was considered to have become a tropical depression at 06z July 12. The tropical depression moved slowly, with gradual organization beginning to occur. The system was upgraded to Tropical Storm Fred, the fifth named storm of the season. Fred continued to gradually intensify, and reached its peak of 50mph at 18z July 12. The storm quickly moved out to sea with little impact on land and dissipated on July 14.